Ep. 95 - Songs for Engaging & Encouraging Kids' SEL, with Dave Fromer's music

BIG PICTURE Social Emotional Learning Podcast

In this episode of the Big Picture Social Emotional Learning Podcast you’ll be introduced to Dave Fromer, and his multi-awarding winning album that teachers and parents love, thankfully… because young kids love listening to Dave’s song’s over and over and over again.

Do you use songs to help improve and manage transitions during the day? Songs that young kids enjoy can serve as wonderfully helpful tools to help them transition from one task to the next… How?

Well, once they’ve learned a song and become used to its length, kids are usually happy to get on-board with coordinating their transition timing to align with the end of one task or activity to the start of a new one… which brings so many advantages for everyone, not the least of which is a more orderly and more cooperative learning environment.

More good news, about which you’re probably aware, but now research is out there to validate: exposure to songs students enjoy together can improve and increase the positivity in a classroom atmosphere (Eerola & Eerola, 2013; Foran, 2009).

Another valid reason for incorporating more music into the daily routines of your class is that active engagement with music, like singing along, has been shown to impact the way brains process information, by enhancing perception and comprehension of language and subsequently improving students’ ability to communicate with others (Hallam, 2010; Bokiev, Bokiev, Aralas, Ismail, & Othman, 2018), which definitely relates to, and supports, SEL.

In addition, several studies have suggested that when kids are exposed to calming music, their feelings of anxiety and stress are often measurably reduced. (Ziv & Dolev, 2013; Goldbeck & Ellerkamp, 2012; Saarikallio & Erkkila, 2007). I don’t have to tell you, I’m sure, that introducing any element that reduces feelings of anxiety and stress (that sometimes show up as aggressive behavior in the classroom), can help kids regulate and manage their own emotions in more positive ways, with the result of increasing their capacity to learn and interact more constructively throughout each day. (Foran, 2009).

And if you can fit all of the following into the description - without this line of red text, of course, that would be GREAT:

Shake a Hand, which is the name of the CD, is the recipient of the following awards:

• Winner, 2005 Dr. Toy's Smart Play/Smart Toy Product of Excellence

• Winner, 2005 Parents' Choice Silver Award

• Winner, Honor Award in the 2005 National Parenting Publications Awards
(NAPPA)

• Finalist, 2005 Children's Music Web Awards in two categories: Best
Recording for Younger Children ages 5-8 & Best New Artist for Pre-Schoolers SHAKE A HAND is the recipient of the following awards:

• Winner, 2005 Dr. Toy's Smart Play/Smart Toy Product of Excellence

• Winner, 2005 Parents' Choice Silver Award

• Winner, Honor Award in the 2005 National Parenting Publications Awards
(NAPPA)

• Finalist, 2005 Children's Music Web Awards in two categories: Best
  Recording for Younger Children ages 5-8 & Best New Artist for Pre-Schoolers

Fromer, who recorded a major label album with a folk trio in the ‘60’s, is an accomplished musician and guitar teacher from a musical family that includes his singer and keyboard player son, Reed, who performs on the record and wrote the liner notes.

You won’t find many albums for kids that can boast this many name musicians, among them mandolinist David Grisman, guitarist Tal Morris, bassist Mel Graves, drummer Paul Revelli, multi-instrumentalist Joe Kraven, percussionist Marquinho Brazil, reed virtuoso Jim Rothermel and the sensational young guitarist Johnny Hiland.